


Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

by PrincessAddieJ



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 00:05:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12243228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessAddieJ/pseuds/PrincessAddieJ
Summary: Addie's cat form is one of her favorite parts about being Fae . . . Even if it gets her into trouble.





	Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

Autumn seemed to have arrived Underground all at once in the span of one short night. Of course, this was far from the case, but in the mind and attention of one small princess, the leaves that had decorated the trees in beautiful shades of green when she had fallen asleep were painted all manner of ruby, gold, and pumpkin the next morning. Regardless, Addie was in love. This was by far her favorite season if not only for the unexplainable hum she felt radiating through the air and deep into her bones at all hours of the day. She had only one word for the strange phenomena.  
  
_Magic_.  
  
Magic itself seemed to permeate everything this time of year, and the effect was felt tenfold Underground. If Addie would have known such bliss was to be found here, she wouldn’t have wasted so much time in the Above searching for something that couldn’t be found. Of course, the chill in the air, the constant smell of cinnamon wafting from the kitchen, and delicious treats to be found in every nook and cranny of the city weren’t so bad, either. The Princess could hardly get enough of any of it.  
  
Addie found herself meandering lazily through the garden one day in early October, admiring the delicate crunching sound each leaf made under her tiny paws. She loved many things about her feline form; how fast and flexible she was, how easy climbing trees and weaving around stray branches in the forest could be, and how stalking her prey (though field mice could hardly be considered prey to anyone but a mature kitten) made her feel powerful without the help of magic. With the shift of the season, she also enjoyed the fringe benefit of blending in with the scenery much more. Her blonde fur that stuck out in odd tufts was perfect for hiding in plain sight from enemies, food, or –  
  
“Addie honey!”  
  
Her mother.  
  
The girl froze, one paw still lifted in mid-step, and turned one small ear toward the sound.  
  
“Addie come inside now before you catch a cold!” Sarah called, raising her gentle voice just so. Her dark hair fell gracefully as she turned her head in all directions, searching for the Princess she knew was still outside.  
  
With a mischievous stroke of luck, Addie realized Sarah had no idea where she was. Of course the girl was not out of eyeshot of her mother – the one true Champion of the Labyrinth – and knew from experience that the woman was far more astute than many understood. She would have to be sneaky if she didn’t want to be caught. Who would want to? Playing was far too much fun to even dream of retreating inside for the warmth of the fire, cold or no cold. She would gladly risk Goblin Fever if it meant even a few more minutes of playtime.  
  
Still in her kitten form, Addie took cover in a nearby pile of leaves, hoping that her fur would camouflage with the foliage enough to not be conspicuous. Unfortunately, while the color was effortless in its blend, the rustle of the pile as it made room for her gave away movement and her position. Sarah was fearless, and it showed as she turned her body toward the sound with a smile, traipsing toward Addie’s hiding spot with a careless gait. She knelt down and ran her hands through the leaves without a care in the world.  
  
“Adelaide,” she began in a teasing tone, “I know you’re in there. Come on out, sweetie. You need to come inside before you get a chill.”  
  
Realizing she had been caught, Addie leaped out of the leaves into her mother’s arms with a quiet _meow_.  
  
“Oh my goodness!” Sarah half squeaked, half laughed, holding Addie out from her body, under the front legs. “You are filthy!”  
  
It was only then that the girl regarded herself. Her back legs, hanging freely beneath her, were indeed coated in a fresh layer of mud. Her front paws were tangled with cobwebs from the tunnels under the Labyrinth. She could still smell the muck coating her entire face from an extremely unpleasant encounter with the Bog of Eternal Stench. Addie was certain Sarah had a right to be slightly shocked, but the Princess couldn’t help but be entertained by the look of mild horror on her mother’s pale face.  
  
“You need a bath this instant, young lady. I’ll have to see if Daddy has any oils we can use to help the smell.”  
  
Addie chirped as Sarah carried her an arm’s length away, headed toward the castle. It was the closest she could come to laughing as a cat . . .


End file.
